Republic of Ireland v Scotland: How the players rated in Dublin

Scotland left Dublin with a point after their 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland in Euro 2016 Group D qualifying.

The intensity of the match impressed Scotland boss Gordon Strachan but not his team's error-strewn display.

Republic manager Martin O'Neill, meanwhile, is not giving up on reaching the finals in France, despite dropping two points at home.

BBC Sport's Lyle Jackson rates how well O'Neill's men played, while Tom English assesses the performances of the Scots.

Republic of Ireland

Shay Given 7

The veteran keeper did all that was asked of him and had absolutely no chance with the deflected shot.

Seamus Coleman 7

Was involved in some of the Republic's best attacking work in the first half with adventurous runs down the right. Having to deal with interval substitute Ikechi Anya curtailed the Everton full-back's adventure in the second period.

John O'Shea 6

The Sunderland man was the unlucky player whose deflection gave Scotland their equaliser. Still, a solid enough defensive display from the former Manchester United player.

Marc Wilson 5

A few strong tackles from the defender and was maybe fortunate not to pick up a yellow card for a rash challenge on Steven Fletcher early in the second half. A booking would have meant a suspension for the Stoke City player.

Robbie Brady 8

Looked impressive with some charging runs down the left and some decent deliveries. However, a wildly inaccurate cross saw a late opportunity for the Irish go to waste.

Glenn Whelan 5

Booked in the 20th minute for a late tackle on Steven Fletcher. Some poor passing too.

James McCarthy 6

The Glasgow-born midfielder was a little fortunate to get away with just a yellow card after leading with his elbow in flooring Russell Martin on the half-hour mark.

Jeff Hendrick 6

The Derby County midfielder would have liked to have been more involved in the action, but he did produce some decent passes.

Jon Walters 7

Jon Walters did not hang about to check if he was offside when he knocked in the Republic's goal

Reacted quickly to stab in the goal after Daryl Murphy's header had been saved. It will be of no concern to him that he should have been flagged offside.

Wes Hoolahan 8

An energetic and purposeful contribution from the Norwich City midfielder. Was charging all around the place in the first half and was an odd choice as the man to make way for Robbie Keane's introduction in the 73rd minute.

Daryl Murphy 7

Ipswich Town's top scorer may still be awaiting his first international goal but it was his saved header which led to the Republic's first-half goal. Had a couple of chances in the second half.

Substitutes

James McClean (for Glenn Whelan, 68 minutes) 5

Headed wide from Brady's late corner on his fourth consecutive appearance as a substitute. Stupid yellow card for a nonsensical clash with Steven Naismith.

Robbie Keane (for Wes Hoolahan, 73 minutes) 6

Was bravely on the Republic bench despite having two cousins killed in a work accident earlier in the week. Had a crack at goal but could not produce what would have been an emotional winner.

Shane Long (for Daryl Murphy, 80 minutes)

Disappointingly for many Irish supporters, was not on long enough to rate.

Scotland emerged from Dublin with a point despite a poor first-half display

Scotland

David Marshall 7

Could do nothing about Jon Walters' goal after being left dreadfully exposed by his defenders. Critical save from Daryl Murphy.

Alan Hutton 5

Put his team under pressure too often with misplaced places and slack defending, particularly when ransacked by Daryl Murphy with the game level at 1-1.

Russell Martin 6

Russell Martin gives a thumbs-up to the Scotland fans at full-time

Very unsteady in the awful opening half, but was hardly alone in that. Little authority when the Republic were fizzing crosses into the box. More solid as the game went on.

Charlie Mulgrew 6

Selected at centre-half instead of centre-midfield. Looked uncertain and somewhat miscast at times. Important clearances late on. Battled hard.

Craig Forsyth 4

His first half was so poor you felt for him. A bag of nerves and a string of errors. Steadied a little in the second half.

Scott Brown 6

Not himself for the most part. Out-battled by James McCarthy in the opening half. Had little spells of dominance but far from his best.

James Morrison 6

Important second-half tackle as the Republic broke free. A rare high-point on an ineffective night for the West Brom man.

Matt Ritchie 4

A non-event and a big error from Gordon Strachan. Never featured and replaced at the break by the excellent Ikechi Anya.

Shaun Maloney 6

A bystander until he stunned the Aviva with his deflected equaliser. Nowhere near his best, but another massively important goal, albeit aided by the helpless defender John O'Shea.

Steven Naismith 6

Improved a little when Anya appeared, but was profligate in possession far too often. We have seen him play so much better than this.

Steven Fletcher 6

A joyless night. One shot from distance tipped over by Shay Given and not a lot else. Worked hard, but little came his way.

Substitutes

Ikechi Anya (for Matt Ritchie, 45 minutes) 7

Made a huge difference when he came on which begged the question - why wasn't he on in the first place? Drove Scotland forward and put the Republic under pressure.

James McArthur (for Scott Brown, 85 minutes)

Brought on late to shore things up. Not on long enough to rate.

Christophe Berra (for Steven Naismith, 92 minutes)

Not on long enough to rate.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Eniola Aluko column: France tears, Mexico memories, family support

England forward Eniola Aluko is writing a regular column for the BBC Sport website throughout the Women's World Cup.

Here she reflects on defeat by France, the benefits of a football family and looks ahead to Saturday's match against Mexico.

One of the people I spoke to after the France game was my brother, Hull striker Sone Aluko, and it definitely helps when you can talk to someone who understands the game from a tactical point of view.

Yes, we lost 1-0 and we had a game plan where I had to sacrifice some of what I like to do as a forward, but the measure of success for someone in my position is not always scoring goals or getting assists. You also have to do a job for the team.

Sone has played as lone striker many times in his career too so knew my role. He was positive about by my defensive work, as was England head coach Mark Sampson, and he encouraged me to take confidence into the next game against Mexico on Saturday.

I always like to watch the game back as quickly as possible and am quite self-critical in terms of how I can improve for next time. So the fact that I can discuss different game plans with Sone really helps.

In tournaments as big as the World Cup it is nice to have an honest and knowledgeable voice on the end of the telephone sometimes.

Although a lot of what we planned against France worked, you may have seen that I was upset and disappointed at the final whistle on Tuesday.

That was me just being emotional Eni for a little bit. We have been through so much to get to this point and when you have worked so hard, built up all those emotions and lost the game, sometimes it all just comes out. The success of this team means a lot to me.

I might look ruthless on the pitch and I can tell you that no-one wants to do well in this tournament more than me. But very soon after the whistle I had gathered my emotions and was upbeat for the next game against Mexico.

They are ranked 19 places below us at 25th in the Fifa rankings,  so Saturday is a great opportunity to try and win the game. In that sense we will be more attacking and on the front foot from the start.

Aluko made her 92nd appearance for England in the defeat by France

We did have our opportunities against France and I felt like I got in behind their defence at times, but against Mexico it will be a different game plan. They have a certain set-up that we can exploit.

The match is a repeat of our first group game in the 2011 World Cup, which we drew 1-1 before going on to the win the group.

During the second half of that game, I missed a good chance to score and reacted to some Twitter abuse afterwards by calling it "poisonous".

I've said before in this column that I was new to social media at the time and shocked at some of the abuse but I'm a different person and player from four years ago and to be honest I'm not thinking too much about that game.

I've grown a lot since then, not to mention scoring lots of goals but also missing chances too. That is the life of a striker.

Forwards will always have games where they falter, yet there are games where you'll score from one opportunity. That happened in the Cyprus Cup against the Netherlands last March, when former England captain Gary Lineker was among those to praise my goal in a 1-1 draw.

It's pure coincidence that we are playing Mexico again but hopefully I can start the game, score goals and look back and say it was a more successful game than four years ago. If anything, having chances last time gives me confidence. I just have to be in the right places to make sure I am more clinical this time.

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I'm hoping I can become the second Women's Super League (WSL) scorer in the tournament after Nigeria and Liverpool striker Asisat Oshoala beat me to the punch by scoring against Sweden.

It didn't surprise me that she made such an impact in the 3-3 draw against a team who are fifth in Fifa's rankings and one of the top teams in this tournament.

She's only 20 but poses that sort of threat in the WSL all the time. She has that brutal combination of being very direct, quick and powerful and she showed that when she knocked Sweden's Nilla Fischer, one of the strongest players in the game, off the ball for Nigeria's first equaliser.

Nigeria were great to watch and although everybody has their opinions about them being disorganised and defensively weak, I think they proved that attack is sometimes the best form of defence.

Playing Nigeria would be an interesting one for my family as my parents are from there and I was born in Lagos too, but I think I've swung them England's way now.

First, though, we have to get points on the board and get out of our group, starting with Mexico.

Eniola Aluko was speaking to BBC Sport's Alistair Magowan in Canada.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Slovenia v England: How the players rated in Ljubljana

By Phil McNulty Chief football writer in Ljubljana

England maintained their 100% record in Euro 2016 qualifying with victory over Slovenia on Sunday but it was a mixed bag in terms of individual performances.

Captain Wayne Rooney joined Gary Lineker on 48 England goals after scoring the late winner in Ljubljana.

Midfielder Jack Wilshere caught the eye with two superb goals, but England also conceded two sloppy goals at the back.

So how did England's players fare overall? Chief football writer Phil McNulty runs the rule over the players on duty in Slovenia.

Joe Hart (goalkeeper) 6

Could do nothing about either Slovenia goal but will have had a stressful 90 minutes behind a nervous defence.

Phil Jones (right-back) 3

Farcical throw-in led to Slovenia's goal. Not a right-back and on recent evidence not an international either.

Kieran Gibbs (left-back) 5

Some neat moves going forward but was beaten in the air when Nejc Pecnik header in Slovenia's second goal.

Gary Cahill (centre-back) 5

Not convincing and does not play with the same assurance as he does for his club with John Terry alongside him.

Chris Smalling (centre-back) 5

Falls into the same category as Cahill and still looks like he would be troubled by strikers of the highest international class.

Jordan Henderson (midfielder) 6

Poor in midfield but gave it his best shot in an unaccustomed right-back position. Played his part in the second goal.

Jack Wilshere (midfielder) 9

Star man. Busy and dynamic with two goals to gloss an outstanding display. Can this kick-start his England career?

Fabian Delph (midfielder) 5

Busy in midfield without making a serious impact.

Raheem Sterling (forward) 7

Missed an easy early chance but was otherwise a real threat. Good performance.

Wayne Rooney (forward) 7

Finishing not at its best but kept going in the face of heavy physical punishment and delivered for England again with the winner.

Andros Townsend (forward) 5

Had an involvement in the build-up to Wilshere's second goal but otherwise very quiet.

Substitutes

Adam Lallana (for Jones, 45 minutes) 7

Excellent. Involved in the first two goals and added industry and creativity to midfield.

Theo Walcott (for Townsend, 74 minutes) 5

Barely had time to get into the game - indirect involvement in Rooney's winner.

Nathaniel Clyne (for Delph, 90 minutes) No rating

Not on the pitch long enough to warrant a rating.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Faroe Islands: Why foreigners play in Europe's most remote league

By Owen Amos BBC News, Torshavn

The Faroe Islands are a long way from anywhere.

Midway between Iceland and Norway, around 200 miles north of Scotland, the country sits in the wind-whipped North Atlantic.

The national team are improving fast: ranked a best-ever 102nd in the world, just below Macedonia, they shocked Europe by winning 1-0 away in Greece last year.

The return match takes place on Saturday evening in the tight, sold-out stadium in Torshavn.

But while the national team basks in the spotlight, the national league waits in the wings. The Faroes' top division is ranked 41st out of 54 associations belonging to Uefa. The average attendance last year was around 500.

Look closely, though, and it becomes clear that this remote and unassuming league attracts footballers from around the world.

Twenty-five foreigners - from 14 countries including Brazil, Nigeria, and the United States - have played in the top division this year.

So why do they migrate to this rocky outpost, where crowds are sparse and the average temperature in summer is only 13C?

Their answers reveal much about the shrinking world of modern football, where players will go anywhere - even 62 degrees north - for a contract.

Dreaming of Europe - but never the Faroes

France, Belgium, England? The African lad who fulfilled his dream in an unexpected place.

Ibrahima Camara, a 23-year-old Senegalese forward, came to the Faroes in 2010. He signed for B68, a club in the village of Toftir, population 823.

"I arrived in winter," he says, shivering at the memory. "It was very cold."

As a youngster, Camara played for one of Senegal's biggest clubs, Diaraf. Like most African players, he dreamed of Europe.

"But France or Belgium, perhaps England," he says. "Never the Faroe Islands."

When a friend moved to England, he introduced Camara to a Senegalese agent based in Portsmouth. Camara sent him videos, and the agent set up a move to Al Shabab, a club in Dubai.

Camara trained there for six months, but Al Shabab couldn't agree terms with Diaraf. A move to Iran fell through, and trials at Le Havre and Toulouse in France were cancelled because he couldn't get a visa.

Finally, the agent suggested the Faroes: the last resort in the land of plenty.

"When I came, I only thought about leaving," he says. "I only spoke French. It was hard for me."

Camara stuck with it and, this year, earned a move to the Faroese champions B36.

He still dreams of France or Belgium, but, after six years, the Senegalese is at home in the Faroes. He even works part-time in a bakery.

"When I go to football, I don't lock my apartment door," he says. "I have been here six years and I haven't seen any crime. The life is very calm."

From Ware FC to where exactly?

Living the alternative student life over in the Faroes.

In January, Albert Adu played in the eighth tier of English football for Ware FC, a semi-professional club in Hertfordshire. He is now one of the leading scorers in the Faroes, with nine goals so far this season.

Albert Adu in action for the oldest club in the Faroes, TB Tvoroyri

But when his agent proposed the move north, it was less a case of Ware, and more a case of "where?"

"I didn't know about the Faroes," he admits. "I had to look them up."

Adu was born in Ghana and grew up in Amsterdam. Aged 16, he moved to England with his family.

While playing youth and non-league football in north London, he met an agent who proposed a move to CD Comarca de Nijar, a club in the Spanish fourth tier.

With accommodation and a full-time wage, he stayed in Spain for 18 months, until the club's money ran out. He returned to the lower reaches of English football, taking an office job at the family firm to make ends meet.

"I enjoyed my time playing for Ware, but I wanted to move back to full-time football," he says.

"My agent said: 'If you're prepared to move anywhere in Europe, I can find you something'. Last year he told me about the Faroe Islands."

Adu went to the Faroes for a week in August to see the club, TB. Impressed by the welcome, and the history, he agreed to sign full-time.

He now lives in a house with three other foreign players - two Icelanders and one from the Ivory Coast.

"It was a bit messy at first, a bit studenty, but we've got better," said the 26-year-old.

That five-bedroom house on Tvoroyri - itself a two-hour ferry ride from Torshavn - is a long way from the streets of Amsterdam, where Adu learned to play the game.

"It's been an amazing journey," he says. "Things never go the way you plan them, but I've enjoyed it all."

Ten years on - a passport, a wife, two daughters

The boys from Brazil who didn't quite follow in Kleberson's footsteps.

Outside the home changing room at HB's stadium in Torshavn two Brazilians catch up in Portuguese.

One is Clayton Soares do Nascimento, a 36-year-old forward, who's playing his 13th season in the Faroes. He's now at his fourth club, IF.

His compatriot is Alex Jose dos Santos, a left-sided defender, still quick and classy at 34. This is his 12th season in the Faroes; HB is his third club.

Unlike Ibrahima Camara, Santos never dreamed of Europe. When you're from Brazil, you don't have to.

The Brazilian Alex Jose dos Santos playing for HB, his third Faroese club

But when a Croatian agent arrived at his football school in Sao Paulo, a move became possible. Aged 21, Santos signed for Opava in the Czech second division.

"My agent was very good," he remembers. "At the same time, he took Kleberson from a Brazilian club to Manchester United. He told me: 'One dream has come true, maybe yours will too.'"

After helping Opava to promotion, Santos moved to Frem in the Danish top division. The Brazilian made just two appearances in the league. In his second, he was subbed on and subbed off.

"I tried to play well, but I was too nervous," he says. "The coach said: 'I like you, but I think you should spend time in the second team.'

"I thought: 'No chance. I've come from Brazil, I don't want to play for the second team.' I said I wanted to go home."

Instead, the president arranged a move to the Faroes. Santos looked at the map: after the Czech Republic and Denmark, it looked, and felt, like the end of the line.

"After my first year with B36, in 2004, I went home and didn't want to come back," says Santos. "In 2005, they asked me to return. I thought: 'It's too difficult.' But the contract was good."

So he came back. Ten years later, Santos has a Faroese passport, a Faroese wife, and two daughters.

"Brazil is too criminal," he says. "Someone is stabbed every five seconds in Sao Paulo. When you take money out, you're always looking.

"Here, you take money out and nobody cares. I like the people here."

Never in a million years

The college star still dreaming of the big time.

In January 2014, Mayowa Alli could see the big time. As one of the best players in US college soccer, he was part of the 2014 Major League Soccer superdraft. 

He could have joined one of the biggest clubs in the country - but of the 267 players in the draft, only 76 were signed. Alli wasn't one of them.

Mayowa Alli: born in Nigeria, raised in the US, now playing in the Faroe Islands

Fast forward 18 months and he is in the Faroes: working four hours a day as a carpenter, and building his career from the bottom up with KI Klaksvik.

"I never thought in a million years I'd end up here," he says. "If you'd told me that four years ago I would have laughed."

After missing out on the MLS, Alli looked abroad. A player from his college, Conor O'Brien, moved to Denmark in 2010, and now plays in the Austrian Bundesliga, so Alli went on trial at Jammerbugt in the Danish third tier.

It went so well, he ended up signing a two-year deal with Vendsyssel in the second tier.

After a handful of games, the club decided to send him on loan. And so he arrived in Klaksvik, the second biggest town in the Faroes, in January.

"People my age, when they finish college they tend to go travelling," he says. "I'm travelling as well - but I'm playing football at the same time."

At only 23, he has time - and ability - on his side. Might he even make it to the MLS, the league that rejected him?

"I just want to reach my full potential," he says. "I know that's a cliched answer, but I want to go as far as I can. Whether that be Danish top division, the Premier League, the MLS, I don't know."

And, if all else fails, he can fall back on carpentry.

"I didn't have to do it, but it keeps me busy before training," he says. "I'm getting better at it. I would consider myself handy-ish now."

They told me to buy some more clothes

Helping out a mate but finding somewhere to call home.

Aleksandar Djordjevic came to the Faroes in 2001, wearing shorts and T-shirt. His research, he admits, wasn't thorough.

"When I changed flights in Denmark, I told the information desk I was going to the Faroe Islands," he says.

"I said: 'It's a little south of here, isn't it?'

Aleksandar Djordjevic: 14 years in the Faroes and counting

"The woman said: 'No, it's north - go and buy some clothes.' So I did."

His move to KI Klaksvik was a favour to their Serbian coach: the last stop on a long career that saw Djordjevic play hundreds of times for Partizan Belgrade, captain a Yugoslavia Under-20 side including Zvonimir Boban and Davor Suker, and play in Australia and Switzerland.

He expected to stay for six months. Fourteen years later, Djordjevic is still in Klaksvik, taken by its snow-capped beauty.

"I saw the same thing you see," he says, pointing at the harbour and the mountains behind. "That's why I stayed.

"When you're younger, the Faroes can be a first step to playing in Scandinavia, or somewhere else in Europe.

"When you're 30 or older, you just want a place you can live normally. For me, it's now home. I still have a home in Belgrade - I go to visit, no problem. But it's too fast for me."

Filip Djordjevic is one of the most highly rated players in the Faroes

Djordjevic, now 46, played regularly for KI until 2006. He was recently in charge of the Faroes' women's team and now runs the combined women's team of B36 and AB Argir.

And there is still a Djordjevic on the pitch in the Faroe Islands: Aleksandar's 21-year-old son, Filip, plays for top division side Vikingur.

When he gets his passport, the forward is expected to play for the Faroes' national team - "He's in the top three players in the league, no problem," says his father.

If it happens, he will personify the worldwide migration of footballers.

Born in Australia, while his dad played there, to Serb parents: Filip Djordjevic, the Faroe Islands international.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Scotland fight on and dream on after messy Dublin display

By Tom English BBC Scotland at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin

You counted them from the first minute of the Euro 2016 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland - the Scotland blunders, the moments of uncertainty, the epidemic of misplaced passes that took hold of Gordon Strachan's team for 45 minutes.

You watched some of it in disbelief and some of it in anger and confusion. Where did this weakness come from? Who stole Scotland's serenity?

Ireland forward Jon Walters brushing past the bag of nerves that was Craig Forsyth. The aimless deliveries from one player and then another. More angst from left-back Forsyth. Further mishaps in possession. From everybody. This was an ailment that spread from back to front, left to right.

In those moments - and they must have been interminable for the massed ranks in the visiting support - you wondered if this was the day that the smiley-happy vibe that has surrounded this Scotland team was going to change to something altogether more serious.

Scotland's remaining Euro 2016 qualifiers
Georgia (a)	4 September
Germany (h)	7 September
Poland (h)	8 October
Gibraltar (a)	11 October

Scotland were being bullied and then Scotland were being beaten. The goal when it came told you much about their plight. A corner and a free header for Daryl Murphy. Then a save from David Marshall and a tap-in for Walters.

Where were the Scots? Where was the desire to clear that ball? Lack of hunger is not a charge that is easily levelled at this team, but when Robbie Brady swung in that corner the Scots were passive when the Irish were alert and forceful.

It was painfully easy and it was coming. The Republic are a very average side but even average sides can make it pay when the opposition has a death-wish.

The defending for Walters' goal was wretched. So was the decision to allow it, for the striker was offside when he poked it past Marshall.

Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli shows James McCarthy a yellow card for elbowing Russell Martin in an aerial challenge

If it was a lucky break for Ireland, then they probably warranted it. They set the tempo, inflicted the panic and forced the errors. At the break, Scotland were in disarray. It wasn't meant to be like this.

In the dressing room they woke from their 45-minute nightmare and roused themselves. The decision to play Matt Ritchie ahead of Ikechi Anya was a strange one even before kick-off and with every passing minute of the first half it became stranger still.

Ritchie has had a terrific, and historic, season with Bournemouth, but nothing about his Scotland performances suggested he was a better option than Anya. He has something, no doubt about it. He couldn't have scored 15 goals for his club in the rough-house that is the Championship unless he had quality, but whatever it is he has, it hasn't been visible for Scotland. Not yet.

Selecting him ahead of Anya was a Strachan gamble and a Strachan fail - and it was one he rectified at the break.

Anya played a part in the equaliser. It was almost as if his effervescent personality galvanised Scotland into bettering themselves. It was another moment in the Shaun Maloney playbook and, for Ireland, a flashback to the November meeting between these sides at Celtic Park when the same player with a similar finish sparked familiar feelings of despair in Martin O'Neill's team.

Maloney, like so many around him, toiled at the Aviva. Little went right for him. He tried to play, tried to influence things, but was undone by inaccuracy - his own and those around him. He was a bystander for much of it, but his cameo was special.

Ireland's James McClean and Scotland striker Steven Naismith display the kind of aggression that bubbled away throughout the match

From Chicago, came some much-needed fire. His interchange with Anya followed by his curling finish - the shot deflecting off John O'Shea en route - happened almost in slow motion right in front of the Tartan Army. Shay Given lost the flight of it.

The twin sights of the ball in his net and the Scotland fans celebrating in front of his nose was a double whammy of misery for the legendary Irish goalkeeper.

The temptation was to blink in disbelief. Nobody could see where a Scottish goal was coming from, but then, nobody in the stadium has the kind of self-belief that Maloney possesses.

The goal was a tad fortunate but for the Scots it was like an oasis of beauty.

When the purists bang on about football being the beautiful game somebody ought to sit them in front of a television and put on the DVD of this attritional, thud-and-blunder occasion.

It was agricultural stuff. Passionate, no question. Intense. But brutal. Oh so brutal, right from the moment James McCarthy stuck the elbow into Russell Martin's face and drew blood.

The Tartan Army contributed to a noisy atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium

It would be wrong to say that it was all second-rate. Some of what we saw at the Aviva was world class - the stadium architecture, the passion of the Irish anthem, the ear-splitting noise of the magnificent fans, home and away.

And the emotion. That was pretty hot, too.

This was a match that Ireland really needed to win in order to avoid a potentially fatal blow to their qualifying hopes. Their players knew it and played like it. They were aggressive and psyched, as if assistant manager Roy Keane himself had locked them in a room for an hour beforehand and laid it on the line as only he can.

They weren't good enough, that was the bottom line. They allowed Scotland back into it even though Scotland will hardly - you would hope - play as poorly as this again.

You wouldn't quite say that Ireland's chances are now shot; they are severely damaged. They don't look like a team that can haul themselves back into contention in the run-in.

Scotland fight on - and dream on. In the player interviews in the aftermath there was an inescapable sense of relief that they'd managed to dig out a result on a day when they were so far off their best. An error-strewn performance but a sweet point. Maybe a critical one.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Copa America: Ten reasons to watch South American tournament

By Tim Vickery BBC Sport

Copa America 2015
Venues: Eight cities across Chile Dates: 11 June to 4 July
Coverage: Video highlights including every goal online and on the BBC Sport app (UK only)

Big names, big games, forgotten faces and tomorrow's heroes await as the Copa America kicks off in Chile on Thursday.

Until 4 July the 10 South American nations, plus guests Mexico and Jamaica, will be contesting the 44th edition of the continent's championship.

BBC Sport brings you 10 reasons to follow the action.

This is where the stars come out to play

Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero are just two of the international stars on show at the Copa America

Luis Suarez, still serving his suspension, will not be seen at the Copa. But his partners in the Barcelona forward line certainly will.

Neymar will captain Brazil, and Lionel Messi will lead Argentina alongside Manchester City's Sergio Aguero and company.

Real Madrid's James Rodriguez will be there for Colombia and Paris St-Germain's Edinson Cavani for Uruguay. The cast list is dazzling.

Recently the idea of a European breakaway World Cup was floated. Can you imagine how much it would miss all of these names?

History

The Copa is the world's oldest continental competition. It began in 1916, and was often held annually in the early years.

It promoted a rapid rise in playing standards, and can clearly be seen as a key event in the build-up to the first World Cup in 1930. The tournament, then, is a huge part of football's heritage.

Strength in depth

In the Copa's 99-year history, this could well be the tournament with the strongest field. In contrast to the club game, national team football in South America is living a healthy moment.

Colombia have just enjoyed their best World Cup, as Paraguay did in 2010 and Ecuador in 2006 - and Chile have just had their best two bar 1962, when they were the hosts.

There are few minnows about. Indeed, in the last two World Cups only one South American side (Ecuador last year, and by a narrow margin) have failed to make it out of their group.

Unpredictability

Copa America 2015
Group A	Group B	Group C
Chile	Argentina	Brazil
Mexico	Uruguay	Colombia
Ecuador	Paraguay	Peru
Bolivia	Jamaica	Venezuela

There are two explanations for the fact the Copa can be difficult to forecast. One is the format of the competition; eight of the 12 teams qualify for the knockout phase, where, this year, extra time will not be played in the quarter or semi-finals.

There is room, then, for what Paraguay did in the last Copa four years ago, when they reached the final without winning a single game.

The other factor is the place of the tournament in the calendar. After a year of friendlies, the Copa kicks off a new cycle of competitive games. Most sides are mainly concerned with whipping a team into shape for the next set of World Cup qualifiers, due to start in October.

There are plenty of new coaches, who so far have had very little time with their players. This is not like the World Cup or the Euros, where teams have qualified and built towards the tournament. In contrast, the Copa has plenty of half-cooked sides, going into the competition with little preparation behind them.

Manageable size

The World Cup has 32 teams. The Euros keep growing.

There is something to be said for the shorter, smaller tournament. With 12 teams and lasting just over three weeks, the Copa can be followed without it taking over your entire life.

Pressure on the big three

Teams in the Copa are divided into three groups, and there is an obvious hierarchy of favourites - Argentina and Brazil plus the home side. In this case there is special pressure on all three.

It falls on Chile because they have never won the trophy - unlike Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Paraguay. This is seen as the best team in Chile's history and, unlike most, they have specifically prepared for the Copa. How will they cope with the burden of expectation?

Brazil will want to make amends for their 7-1 defeat by Germany at last year's World Cup

Coach Jorge Sampaoli saw at first hand the damage home 'advantage' did to Brazil last year as they were thrashed 7-1 by eventual winners Germany in the semi-final, and ever since he has been thinking of ways to avoid the pitfalls the 2014 World Cup hosts fell in.

It falls on Argentina because they are having to endure a wait of their own for a senior title. The last one was the Copa of 1993. There is not a lot of experimentation in coach Gerardo Martino's squad - 14 went to the World Cup, and another two were in the 2010 party. This generation are running out of chances to lift some silverware.

And it falls on Brazil because the World Cup left a huge stain on their carpet. Nothing that happens in Chile will wash the stain out. Under Dunga they have won their first eight friendly matches - but all that will be forgotten if they have a poor Copa. A good performance would be the first step towards regaining some of their prestige.

Attacking balance

Tournaments often find a tone, which can have a tendency to hang over all the matches. In the last Copa, played in Argentina four years ago, defences came out on top. This Copa has the potential to produce something much less attritional.

In 2011 Argentina had yet to find a way to harness the talents of Lionel Messi. Neymar was a callow youth, still in the early stages of development.

James Rodriguez was with Colombia's Under-20 side - and as soon as he was promoted the senior side started to get full value for their generation of strikers. Ecuador were a mis-selected mess in 2011. All these teams would clearly seem to have more attacking firepower to offer this time round.

Atmosphere

Uruguay are the current champions and are also the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 15 times

Only a few years ago there were Copa America games where there were more police than spectators in the stadium. Matches involving the hosts would sell out. Others attracted very little interest.

That has changed. The continent has become richer. More people can travel. Last year's World Cup was a South American party. The Colombians travelled in huge numbers while Argentines and Chileans took advantage of the proximity to drive over the border.

The Copa does not have the same pulling power. But it can still move people. The 2011 Copa gave the first signs of what was to happen in the World Cup.

There were travelling fans in Argentina and there will be travelling fans in Chile. Almost all the matches are sold out, and so the atmosphere in the stadiums should be something to relish.

English-based players

The inclusion of Jamaica helps, but does not entirely explain why this Copa has the biggest English-based contingent in history.

Amongst those who played in England last year are six of the Argentina squad, four Brazilians and Colombians, three each from Chile and Ecuador, two from Uruguay and one from Venezuela.

Does the name Mathias Vuoso ring a bell? The Mexico striker was on the books of Manchester City between 2002 and 2003

There are also plenty of names (five alone in the Chile squad) of players who have left the Premier League.

The Copa, then, is a chance for English fans to follow their heroes - and perhaps reacquaint themselves with long-forgotten faces.

Burnley fans can catch up on their one time goalkeeper Diego Penny of Peru, while Manchester City supporters need ask no more what became of Argentine-born striker Mathias Vuoso - he is representing Mexico.

A cracking opening game

Usually the Copa kicks off with a match between the hosts and Bolivia - picked to get the home side off to a winning start. Often the Bolivians fail to read the script, and hang on for a dogged draw.

This time, though, Chile have to wait until the third game to have a go at Bolivia. First up on Thursday are Ecuador, opponents who carry a much bigger threat.

Chile coach Sampaoli is worried by the pace of the Ecuadorians on the counter-attack - a point well made on Saturday when, with Swansea's Jefferson Montero on fire, Ecuador saw off a decent Panama side by a 4-0 margin.

Chile, true to their style, will look to carry the game to opponents who can break at great speed. It is a classic clash of styles, and promises to get the 2015 Copa off to an enthralling start.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Wales player ratings v Belgium

By Dafydd Pritchard BBC Wales Sport

Wales went top of Euro 2016 qualifying Pool B with a momentous 1-0 win over previous leaders Belgium in Cardiff.

Gareth Bale scored the only goal on his 50th appearance for his country, seizing on Radja Nainggolan's shocking defensive header to score in the 25th minute.

Wales stayed organised and disciplined to the end, keeping at bay a side ranked second in the world.

How well did the Wales players perform out of 10 at Cardiff City Stadium?

WAYNE HENNESSEY: 7

Although Belgium dominated for long periods, Wales' goalkeeper did not have many saves to make. Made one fine stop from Radja Nainggolan and commanded his penalty area with authority.

JAZZ RICHARDS: 8

A surprising selection at right wing-back, the fringe Swansea City player coped admirably with the onerous task of marking Eden Hazard. Defended sensibly and kept the ball well.

CHRIS GUNTER: 8

Moved to centre-back and adapted well, supporting Richards whenever Hazard darted inside and helping his fellow central defenders to cope with the physical threat of Christian Benteke.

ASHLEY WILLIAMS: 8

Another commanding display. Dealt with Benteke comfortably and read a number of dangerous situations well, stepping in to tackle and clear when Belgium were at their most threatening.

JAMES CHESTER: 8

Back in the side after injury, the Hull City defender played a solid role in a formidable team defensive display. Good in the air and pragmatic with the ball.

NEIL TAYLOR: 8

Although he spent most of the match tracking back to thwart Belgium's attacks, the Swansea City left-back also gave Wales some much-needed balance out wide when he pushed forward to take the pressure off his fellow defenders.

JOE ALLEN: 7

Battled willingly with bigger opponents such as Axel Witsel to ensure Wales were not bullied in midfield. His yellow card for a foul on Hazard means he will miss Wales' next match against Cyprus.

JOE LEDLEY: 8

The deepest of Wales' midfielders played a pivotal role in a magnificent collective defensive effort, winning important headers and making timely interceptions. The Crystal Palace man also used the ball smartly, passing his way out of trouble.

AARON RAMSEY: 7

Having worked himself into promising positions in the first half, the Arsenal midfielder's influence waned in the second as Wales dropped deeper to repel Belgian attacks.

GARETH BALE: 9

Time and again the Real Madrid star rises to the occasion and he did so here with a remarkably calm finish for the only goal of the game. Always looking for the ball and wanting to run at opponents, Wales' talisman was a thorn in Belgium's side as he marked his 50th cap in style.

HAL ROBSON-KANU: 7

Wales' lack of possession meant the Reading forward did not have many scoring chances, and he missed his best opportunity as he shot wide after Ramsey's first-half effort was saved. Ploughed a lonely furrow up front and worked tirelessly for the team's cause.

SUBSTITUTES

Sam Vokes for Bale (87 minutes)

Andy King for Robson-Kanu (90 minutes)

Neither had enough time on the pitch to make an impression.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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